Dingwall

Dingwall is a small town in Easter Ross in the Scottish Highlands; once a harbour, it now lies inland. The name "Dingwall" derives from Scandinavian Þingvöllr, a meeting-place.

Dingwall, evening mist

Get in

Dingwall is 15 miles northeast of Inverness via A9 then A835. Stagecoach Highlands buses 27 / 28 runs M-Sat hourly (Sun every 2 hours) from Inverness: Bus 27 via Beauly and Muir of Ord, Bus 28 direct via Kessock Bridge, taking an hour. These buses continue (M-Sat only) to Strathpeffer.

Dingwall has trains M-Sat every hour or so from Inverness, taking 35 mins. Four of these continue north via Tain, Golspie (for Dunrobin Castle), Helmsdale, Thurso (for ferries to Orkney) and Wick. Four other trains branch west via Achnasheen and Plockton to Kyle of Lochalsh, for buses to Skye. On Sunday the trains from Inverness are every 2-3 hours, mostly terminating at Tain.

🌍 Dingwall railway station. It's just east of town centre. (updated Feb 2019)

Get around

You'll need your own wheels to reach the Red Kites Reserve.

See

• Castles, sort of. Nothing now remains of Dingwall Castle. Tulloch Castle probably dates to the 12th C but the present structure, now a hotel (see "Sleep"), is from the 16th C. Any pair of castles within sight of each other usually have a mythical "secret tunnel" that supposedly connected them; but here for once it's true, and you can peer into the collapsed passageway. The nearby ruin of "Caisteal Gorach" is a late 18th C folly, recycling the masonry of both.
• 🌍 Hector MacDonald Memorial Tower, Mitchell Hill Cemetery. Monument to the 19th-century major general, known as 'Fighting Mac'. He was born a few miles from Dingwall, and fought in the Boer War, Afghan War and Sudan Campaign. (updated Dec 2016)
• 🌍 Dingwall Museum, Town House, High Street, IV15 9RY, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. mid-May-Sept daily 10:00-16:30. Local artefacts and exhibitions. Free. (updated Feb 2019)

Do

• 🌍 Tollie Red Kites (RSPB), Brahan, by Maryburgh (Off the A835 after the Maryburgh Roundabout. About 7km from Dingwall.), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 9AM-5PM. Visitor centre to watch for red kites, who are fed every day. A variety of other birds can also be spotted. Free. (updated Jan 2017)
• Walk Britain's shortest canal, the one-mile stretch of the disused Dingwall canal. It passes a firing range so don't walk there if red flags are flying.
• Watch football ie soccer at Ross County FC, who play in the Championship, the second tier of Scottish football. Their home ground is Victoria Park just east of the railway station.
• Visit a whisky distillery at Muir of Ord, 5 miles south. Tours daily 10:00-16:00, £8.
• Highland Games & Agricultural Show: the Black Isle Show is held in July / Aug at Muir of Ord; the next event is Wed 31 July - Thurs 1 Aug 2019.

Buy

There's a Tesco and a Lidl in town centre.

Eat

• Batty's Bap's, 35-36 High St, ☎ [phone]. M-F 06:30-15:00, Sa 08:30-15:00, Su 09:00-14:00. This is a sandwich shop. (updated Feb 2019)
• Other town centre offerings are Victoria Restaurant (closed Mon), Ding's Chinese (closed Mon), Renato's fish & chips (closed Mon), two Indians (open daily) and a Thai (closed Mon).

Drink

• The Mallard is next to the railway station. It's open Su-Th 10:00-01:00, F Sa to 03:00.

Sleep

• 🌍 National Hotel, High Street, IV15 9HA, ☎ [phone]. Family run hotel with 45 rooms. Single from £50. 
• 🌍 Tulloch Castle Hotel, Tulloch Castle Drive, IV15 9ND, ☎ [phone]. A castle dating from the 16th C, with a 250 year old panelled great hall. It is now a 20 bedroom hotel. B&B double from £50. (updated Feb 2019)
• 🌍 Dingwall Camping and Caravanning Club Site, Jubilee Park Road, IV15 9QZ (next to the football ground), ☎ [phone]. Pitches for caravans, motorhomes and tents. Members and non-members welcome. (updated Jan 2017)

Connect

Go next

• Strathpeffer
• Fortrose and Rosemarkie
• Inverness

Routes through Dingwall

Thurso/Wick ← Tain ←

NE  S

→ Inverness → Perth